The 70th anniversary off the attack on Pearl Harbor was observed around the country and locally yesterday. The day had been proclaimed as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day by President Barack Obama.

At Knox VFW Post 748, veterans and others observed the anniversary. World War II veteran Joe Smrt, who said he was attending church choir practice when he heard the news, remembered the attack.

“Twenty-one ships of all kinds were attacked, damaged, or sunk in the sneak attack. In addition, there were 2400 or more casualties of military personnel. There were eight ships in battleship role that were badly damaged with the Arizona being sunk,” Smrt said.

Smrt said after the attack, President Roosevelt asked congress to declare war on Japan. In a little-remembered account, Smrt said two of the United States high command were relieved of their duties.

“Admiral Kimmell and General Short, commanders of the naval and army forces respectively, were promptly accused of dereliction of duty, and were relieved of their command. They were falsely accused, as facts later discovered would prove. The truth is that the administration and higher brass in Washington, having had information from intercepted Japanese intelligence reports, had withheld the information for one reason or another from Kimmell and Short,” Smrt explained.

Americans are encouraged to take a moment today to remember the attack of Pearl Harbor that occurred seventy years ago to the day.

The attack by the Imperial forces of Japan targeted the largest naval installation of the U.S.: Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The next day President Franklin D. Roosevelt, addressing a joint session of Congress, said a state of war existed between the United States of America and Japan. He called December 7, 1941, “a day which will live in infamy.”

Special services will be held at Knox V.F.W. Post 748 this afternoon at 2 p.m. The public is cordially invited to attend.

Here is just some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week.

Diana Jedynak, 67, died of fire related injuries after her home caught fire early Monday morning in Washington Township. Indiana State Fire Marshal, Fred Sumpter, said the investigation into the cause of the fire was postponed due to the weather conditions and the integrity of the structure.

Northwest Indiana Forum, Inc.

The Northwest Indiana Forum’s Board of Directors have voted to acknowldge the organization’s service territory to extend beyond Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Starke Counties to include Newton, Jasper and Pulaski Counties.

A Knox woman’s mother experienced one of the most important events in United States history on this date in 1941. Teresa Stoner, mother of Karen Dunn, was living with her family in Honolulu, Hawaii when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941.